City to reject 18 riverbank establishments’ permit renewal

Monday, January 30, 2012

THE Iloilo City Government has warned 18 establishments along the Iloilo River that it will not grant renewal of their business permits starting January 2012 for deliberate violations of laws on discharges of wastewater into the river.

A report to the Iloilo River Development Council (IRDC) last January 27, 2012 from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) showed 164 establishments discharging wastewater directly to the river.

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These establishments discharged not more than 30 cubic meters of wastewater per day. These establishments are restaurants, institutions, hotels and car wash stations that failed to apply for discharge permit.

The EMB report showed there are 50 applications for discharge permit; 37 establishments issued with discharge permit; 59 issued with Notice of Violations and invited for technical conference; and 18 for non-compliance and endorsed to the City Government for suspension of a Mayor’s Permit.

Engr. Samson Guillergan of EMB said the water samples taken from different stations along the Iloilo River still showed high coliform level and the river is still unfit for swimming and bathing.

Guillergan also said 41 establishments are committed to submit their action plan and specifications within 90 days. (Lydia C. Pendon)